Hey there guys! Firstly let me thank my few followers for following XD it's nice to know people actually read this stuff ^-^
I have been inspired to write an article by this here Fruit-tella packet, and the many blog posts and youtube videos I have watched recently on the ever growing - and already huge - fashion Decora, or Fairy-Kei. They are not, essentially the same thing (Decora being an even more peppy, accessorized and OTT (over the top) version of it, though they do follow similar colour schemes and basic themes.
~~~Please note: I am no expert on this subject!!! These are just my personal views and opinions!~~~
As you may have guessed before I'm mainly interested in Lolita, classic, ouji-sama and I guess gothic and if you can count it as a style bittersweet, but Decora has just caught by eye and I have been drawn to it. I won't be donning any pastel petticoats, or just skipping around in fairy wings and bloomers any time soon though. Like I did at first with Lolita, I'm quite happy to just sit back and admire the girls who have the courage to make hair clip helmets on top of their bubble gum pink tresses. Wow, what a lot of alliteration ^-^....
This would be a good example of a toned down Decora ensemble, or perhaps just Fairy-Kei. It depends on what your own personal preferences are. But as you can see clearly on the girl seated on the shelves, and the girl standing, nooooo skirts. As far as I know, skirts are usually worn with Fairy-Kei, so I'd place this more in the Decora zone.
Accessories:
I think accessories would be the easiest thing to tackle first seeing as they are probably what hold this style together. Without them it would look awfully plain, with to many though, it can look gaudy and cheap.
You can use a lot of sweet lolita accessories in Fairy-Kei and Decora, bright pink headbows, and cute bracelets, necklaces, rings, "geek glasses" in bright colours, socks, broaches and keyrings are all elements of an everyday outfit. Just make sure they're roughly these colours: pale pink, yellow, pale blue, cream, pale yellow, white, bright pink, blue, mint, mellon and lilac. If you have any old toys like; mini My Little Pony Dolls, Polly Pockets, or left over Barbie food from the coffin of toys that fell prey to Old Father Time, feel free to turn them into jewelery, by hot gluing them to rings or (if the toy is small enough) hair clips. You could twist a little screw with a loop on the top into a piece of uneaten Carbie Victoria Sponge cake and hang it from a small chain with an assortment of other kawaii nommables?
Hair/Wigs:
It's quite normal in this fashion to have unnatural hair, and it certainly isn't unusual to wear a wig to achieve it. Many, many girls nowadays have realised the harm dye does to your hair and have now opted for the - perhaps more expensive - but far less damaging option of purchasing a pastel, two tone, gradient or just plain crazy wig. As a cosplayer it's normal to me, but other people may have slight qualms about wearing one. I say go for it. Yes, it may be expensive, but it will certainly pay for itself once you've had it for a while. If you're using your wig once, twice, maybe three times a week you're going to be getting a lot of use out of it, so what would be the point in skimping and buying a bad quality wig if you're going to be using it that much? Well, there isn't a point. You have no excuse what so ever xP.
On my travels of the interwebz I have discovered two sites from which you can purchase good quality, very pretty, "natural" looking wigs. When I say "natural" I mean natural as in that they look like you dyed your real hair brown and mint green, and it isn't synthetic fibers on a head shaped net that you pulled onto your head over a wig cap.
The first site I found is called MintyMix and they have a small, but pretty epic range of gorgeous wigs (certain ones, like the pink and blonde split come with clip on pigtails). I've read reviews for these and they say that most of the wigs are very full, and have been slightly teased underneath to add to the body of the wig.
Another site I came across is Cosplay wigs USA, who, despite their name sell a let of gothic and lolita wigs as well as just your natural coloured wigs. I haven't read any reviews for their wigs, but they look to be of very similar (or the same) quality to MintyMix's wigs.
Makeup:
Well now, this is a tough section for me. I'm not a frequent wearer of make up, and I only bought my first foundation of any kind yesterday, I own 1 tube of mascara, 2 brushes, hardly any eye shadow, 4 different eyeliners, some crappy kids lip gloss and lipstick and a little dazzle dust and concealer. T.T I'm fourteen, it's quite sad actually. Ah well, here goes.
The makeup for this style is very much like the clothes, it sticks to pale pastels and muted colours. One thing it does go crazy with though, is RHINESTONES!!! CONTACTS AND FALSE EYELASHES!!!!! All pretty normal things when on their own, but imagine them all at once behind a big pair of non prescription "geek glasses". It's really up to you to research this part a little more, I'm afraid all I can do is tell you the basics.
As for nail varnish, choose colours that compliment your outfit, Decora and Fairy-Kei aren't so much about sticking to a few colours, but choosing five or six that compliment each other and work well together.
Tops:
As with a lot of things in this fashion tops are usually white or pastels, though just plane solid colours would work as well. Try stick to the light end of the spectrum. You don't want to be walking in the shadows for this style. Try finding a t-shirt with an adorable screen print on the center front, like a My Little Pony, or a cupcake?
A ruffly loli blouse would work well too!
Bottoms:
No, I don't literally mean bottoms as in someones butt. But I do mean what to wear on your bottom half! XD
Now, I'm not one to say 'run around in bright pink bloomers with some layered tights and leg warmers!' Not at all. Because I discovered Lolita before Decora, I see that as something you should only do if you're about to get into bed, or have just got out of one. It's not the kind of thing I'd advise wearing in public... pastel petticoats on the other hand, they're a totally different thing.
I personally would wear just a petticoat out, I would feel the need to put at least a thin skirt over the top, but with Decora that's all part of the look. You might need to layer them to stop your unicorn panties showing through, but the more poof the better!
You could use your everyday white lolita one, but you don't want to get that dirty and risk it getting on your skirts do you? So I suggest buying a special one, make it a light colour again (though not white this time unless you're going to be wearing about three of them), and it could have a big love heart embroidered in the lower hip area, or it could have ruffles on the bottom. It will be seen this time so feel free to purchase one with little extras like those!
Or if you're not quite feeling brave enough to wear just a petti out in public then wear a sweet lolita skirt over the top. In either a solid colour, or one with a simple ish print on it.
Legs:
Think British punk, but in pastel or neon ^-^ that's what you're trying to achieve with your legs, layers! Not ripped tights and fishnets, hell no! But perhaps a pair of footless tights or thin cotton leggings, a mismatched pair of above knee socks and some legwarmers?
Yup, that's it, layers are key! Just don't go to crazy on this part, you don't want to feel resistance when you try to bend your legs ^-~
Shoes:
Ah, finally! Shoes!!! I hear you cry! But what kind? XD Well, I'm not sure what you're expecting, but they're nothing like the shoes you'd wear for lolita, maybe a pair of teaparties would work, but here you want to stick to brightly coloured, thick soled trainers! I'd give you a name, but I really have no idea what they are called. For more information check out this blog post.
Bags:
Perhaps a cute tote bag? Or a fo-leather purse in a pale colour? Bags, (again) aren't my strong point, I seem to accumulate lots of really bad ones >_>'''''
For more information or just more Decora and Fairy-Kei fun check out these youtube channels, blog posts and DeviantART accounts:
LawlFactory (or Pastel-Ai)'s youtube
miobabyloves's youtube
Pastel-Ai's DeviantART
Lolita Charm blog posts by Victoria Suzanne:
Lolita Fuse: Fairy-Kei
Frills to Fairy: One Skirt, Two Ways
Pastel Pop Darlings: The Fairy-Kei Guide
Have fun on your pastel adventures guys!!
x x x x
Chiru
x x x x
DISCLAIMER: ALL PHOTOS COPYRIGHT OF THEIR ORIGINAL OWNERS!!!!! I ONLY OWN THE FIRST ONE!!! I GAIN NOTHING BY SUBMITTING THEM HERE!!!!! I will also remove them if asked.
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